incarnation

What we find in the message of the Christmas story is the idea that the Sacred, the Spirit of Love, is incarnate in the world; incarnate in that most profound symbol of new life, of possibilities, of hope—in a child. This was not a once and only event. The incarnation of Love was the very creation of the beginning of time—it happened before the birth of Jesus, it happened then, and is happening now. It is present and active in all things and all people—at all times and everywhere. Wherever hope abides amidst despair; wherever joy abides amidst sorrow; wherever love abides amidst hate; wherever peace is spoken amidst war; Love is happening there. This is a compelling truth of the story. This is what the child announces to us. In this time and this place, for us and for all beings—a love at once particular and universal draws us to a life peace and hope. We gather with friends and family at Christmas to be inspired by the possibility that in a time of rampant war-making the idea of peace on earth and good will toward all may become more than a slogan, may somehow take hold. For this is the time of the year that we most dare dream of renewal and peace, most dare to hope boldly. Let us know that Love whispers to us all, in every breath calling us to remember that each night is holy and all life is sacred. ~ Beth Johnson

Unity Haiku

Prayer

Jesus' parting prayer

for those who come after him.

That they may be one.

Sent

Sent into the world

that love might find fulfilment;

Jesus, among us.

Indwelling

He spoke unity:

I in them and you in me.

Divine indwelling.

© Ken Rookes 2016

Blessed the fruit of your womb

The story begins with a girl,

fecund, mid-teens,

belly beginning to swell.

It will get much larger,

as, within her womb,

the miracle of life claims its space.

An unlikely sign, vulnerable,

yet outrageously defiant;

a sign to engender hope,

to confront earth's bondage

and futility.

A peasant girl,

pregnant with purpose and possibility;

the lowly are to be elevated to positions of significance

while kings, emperors, princesses

and other persons of power and plenty

will be asked to descend from their lofty seats

to begin their acquaintance with earth's dust.

The girl could be anyone;

any place on the planet,

any point in its history.

She is caught up in this common human tale;

the wonder,

the waiting,

the struggle,

the pain

and the joy.

A sign for eternity.

© Ken Rookes 2015

At one with the Father

At one with the Father,
the mystery of light;

he shines into the darkness,

he chases in the night.
 

At one with creation,

at home amidst the dust;

the redness at the centre,

the fire and the rust.

At one with the people,

the tears and the chain;
the wandering and homeless,
the loneliness and pain.

He does not shun the struggle,

dark thoughts or the questions;

embracing of the challenge
and seeking its connections.
 
Comrade to the travellers
on wilderness journey;
searching for that pilgrim goal
through windings and through turnings.
 
Confronter of the wealthy
disturbing those who rule;
discomfort for the righteous,
the wise sent back to school.
 
Friend of peace-creators,
holding frightened hands,
at one with those who protest,
and those who make a stand.
 
At one with the rhythm,
the feel and the pulse;
seeing truth and all things good,
and weeping o’er the false.
 
Dust and spirit joining,
in love they are united,  
reaching out to gather in;
the love, it is requited.
 
At home among the humble,
they know him by his voice,
he speaks of hope, of truth and life
for all who make the choice.
 
© Ken Rookes 2013

Triune God

The 3D God is at home within the cosmos,

a habitation created in a dream-thought explosion

of energy, light and grace. In that moment,

time began its insistent journey

outwards to locate and define

every particle that ever existed.

This same triune Deity calls into being love,

which reaches, gathers and embraces,

– always did, always does, always will,

– and weeps at the estrangement

and the bondage of creation

Knowing that fear must be defied

if life is to triumph, a Word-child

is sent to embody foolish,

love-filled hope;

seeking an end to the alienation

and recklessly shining his uninvited light

into previously shadowed places.

The embracings receive added substance

as hand are clasped, feet are washed,

cheeks are kissed, tears are shed,

and greetings of peace are extended to all.

The third dimension comes as Spirit,

transcending temporal and spatial limits,

to speak once more, and for all time,

that same word of impossible love.

Groaning deeply to resonate

with the barely audible vibrations upon which

the universe is built, she creates once more,

and again, challenge, peace, truth and justice;

calling forth life out of darkness

to refashion the cosmos.

in grace and hope. 

I find it a challenge to engage with the Trinity in poetry. I keep wanting to change things, but this will have to do for now.

© Ken Rookes 2012

the human that God uses

" The challenge and the invitation that Jesus holds before us is the possibility that we too as human beings can be the temples of God's presence, the vehicles of God's action. We can enter into the realm of God in the world. We can become the body of Christ. If we affirm God in Jesus, we are opening to the possibility of God in ourselves.

If that sounds too lofty and theological, think of it in terms of the incident that arises out of the lore surrounding the Polish pianist, Paderewski. A mother wanted to encourage the progress of her young son at the piano and so she bought two tickets to a Paderewski performance. When the night arrived she found their seats near the front of the concert hall and they eyed the large Steinway parked by itself on the stage. Soon the mother found a friend to talk with and she did not notice the boy slip away. When 8:00 p.m. arrived the house light dimmed, the spotlights came on, the Steinway was bathed in light, and only then did this mother notice that her son was seated at the piano bench, where he began innocently to plunk the keys in a rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. The audience roared, his mother gasped, but before she could retrieve her son, Paderewski himself appeared and moved quickly towards the keyboard. "No, don't quit, keep on playing," he whispered to the boy. And reaching past him with his left hand the Master began improvising a bass part, and then with his right hand, he reached around on the other side of the boy to add a running obbligato. The crowd was spell bound and the piece concluded in thunderous applause as the boy announced, "I didn't know I could do that."

That's incarnation. We are only human; we do not feel worthy or able, but by some miracle of grace, it is the human that God uses. God whispers in our ear, "don't quit, keep on playing," and as we continue, we are lovingly enfolded, graciously inspired, and from our feeble efforts something wonderful can emerge."

http://day1.org/885-the_abiding_question